Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin ceremonies rituals and traditions. Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: history, signs, traditions

Date in 2019: April 7th, Sunday.

The feast of the Annunciation occupies a special place in the church calendar. It belongs to one of the 12 important dates and is always celebrated by Christians on April 7th. A beautiful gospel story is connected with this great holiday. For thousands of years, he acquired not only many church rules, but also overgrown with folk traditions and rituals.

The Annunciation is a special holiday of Christians, reminding all believers of the great event, from which a new era of mankind began. According to biblical tradition, on this significant day, the archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she had carried the Son of God. The holiday is associated with Christmas and is celebrated nine months before the birth of Christ. Therefore, what date the Annunciation in 2017 will depend on the denomination. So, the Orthodox annually celebrate the holiday on April 7, and the Catholics on March 25. Moreover, the date remains unchanged from year to year.

The history of the light holiday

The event is first described in the Gospel of Luke. It is here that it is told in detail how Gabriel communicated the good news to Mary.

The messenger was able to explain to the frightened girl, destined to serve God from birth, that it was she who became the chosen one and is obliged to fulfill the great mission - to give the world a God-child who should save the human race. Maria humbly accepted the news.

However, such a great event for Christians was not legitimized by the church for a long time.

And only in the fifth century the church of the Eastern rite introduced a festive liturgy, and the Catholics recognized the Annunciation only in the middle of the 7th century.

It was this day that became the date when the Lord incarnated in human form.

It was only during the early Middle Ages that the Annunciation began to be associated with honoring Holy Mother of God.

Traditions of the Annunciation

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin has beautiful traditions that combine ancient church rites and folk rituals. What is the colorful rite associated with the release of birds into the wild.

This tradition was especially honored in pre-revolutionary Russia. When believers went to a festive service, they took with them cages with various birds.

Already before the church, they were necessarily released into the wild. Such an action was very symbolic, since the bird symbolized the human soul, which is languishing in sin, as in a cage. And only the good news gives hope for her release.

Now this tradition has been preserved, but only among the clergy.

Why not observe such a tradition today at the Annunciation 2017 and give free rein to the birds languishing in cages.

The holiday is considered so great that if it falls on Great Lent, those who are fasting are given an indulgence. Today you can even taste fish dishes and red wine.

On this day, God's grace comes. All living things acquire freedom and peace. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to perform any work, especially in the field.

Even the ancestors said that the Annunciation is the day when the bird does not build a nest, and the girl does not weave braids.

It is customary to eat only simple dishes that do not require special cooking.

It is customary to rest for people, birds, and animals. Do not disturb this day and the earth. Therefore, the day is considered unfavorable for starting any new business.

According to legend, this prohibition was violated by the cuckoo, who decided that it was time to build a nest. She was severely punished, and now she cannot start a family. Such an act doomed her to eternal loneliness, and she is forced to throw her eggs into other people's nests.

The holiday is usually held in the family circle. On this day, they do not go to visit, but at home they try not to quarrel.

You need to visit the church to confess and repent of your sins. Be sure to forgive your offenders.

Also, the Annunciation was associated with the holiday of spring. Therefore, people tried to sing songs on this day, to welcome the awakening of nature.

The youth kindled big fires in the clearings. It was in them that they were supposed to burn their sins.

Folk omens

As for signs, most of them came from pagan times. It is believed that on this day you can not borrow, as you give away your and family well-being. And it's time to pay back your debts.

Don't put on new clothes. Such a ritual is connected with the fact that any novelties will inevitably deteriorate, and clothes will tear.

And the girls who violated such a ban remained unmarried for another whole year. Young unmarried girls were forbidden to comb their hair, so as not to confuse fate.

There will be no success in business if they are started on the Annunciation. In the old days, it was believed that for a year on the day when the Annunciation was, it was not worth starting any business.

Sewing and knitting are also prohibited. Any thread was considered a symbol of life. Therefore, taking threads in your hands on the Annunciation, you can confuse fate.

According to the weather on the Annunciation, they also judged what the summer and the harvest would be like:

• what is the weather on April 7, such is Easter;
• if it snows, then it will be on Yegorye (May 6);
• fog in the morning, hoarfrost - by a fruitful summer;
• rain - to mushrooms, thunder - to heat in summer, sun - to thunderstorms;
• the absence of swallows promises a cold and protracted spring;
• warm all-night - to a friendly warm spring.

Modern traditions

The feast of the Annunciation is considered a church holiday, but not a calendar one. Therefore, employers will not understand if employees refuse to perform their duties on a working day.

However, ancient traditions are being revived, and even the most stern leaders are careful not to make important deals on April 7th.

As for household chores, it is better to postpone them. After all, nothing will happen if washing or repairing, ironing or cleaning is not done today. It is better to devote this day to prayer and going to church.

And even if you cannot celebrate this day in accordance with church rules, try not to overshadow this bright holiday with quarrels or misunderstandings.

After all, any bickering and conflicts that happened on this day will leave a negative imprint on your relationship for a whole year. Forgive ill-wishers, forget grievances.

It is better to spend a festive evening with the family for a modest dinner.

Congratulations

I congratulate you on the feast of the Annunciation and wish you to believe in a real miracle. Only faith is able to inspire and lead to real deeds. Let your life be accompanied by warm words, sincere smiles, never know disappointments and troubles. May there always be luck and luck around.

The wonderful feast of the Annunciation came to us in the middle of spring. And on this wonderful day we will praise the Virgin Mary - the mother of our Savior for love and care. We wish happiness to our loved ones and give them our warmth. On this day, let the sun shine and give comfort and tenderness, kindness and sincerity. Let all hardships and sorrows, sorrows and insults go away without a trace.

On the day of the Annunciation, we praise the Most Holy Theotokos for the happiness and life that she gave us. Let's put candles and congratulate relatives on a wonderful bright holiday. May your thoughts always be pure and bright, and your houses more often illuminated by the rays of the sun, and your souls by the rays of faith.

The Annunciation has come to us

April bright day

And now the bad weather is not terrible,

There is peace and happiness all around.

God's son will be born soon

Reach incredible heights

And now we know about it

And let's not forget about the holidays.

I congratulate you on the Annunciation,

And good news, of course, I wish

May this day bring only happiness

Get rid of the unbearable burden of worries.

Let your eyes shine with happiness

And heaven helps in everything.

May your spirit and body always be healthy,

A hard day will never come.

On Orthodox icons, it is customary to depict the Archangel Gabriel holding a flower in his hands - a symbol of good news. It was he who was granted by God to bring people joyful, in other words, good news. Therefore, Archangel Gabriel is always a welcome guest. But he brought the most good news for all people in the world two thousand years ago, to the very young Virgin Mary. The Messenger of God announced that the Savior of the world would be incarnated from Her womb. It is with these words of his that the history of the feast of the Annunciation begins.

Marriage of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In ancient Judea, people matured early. Adults were considered to have reached the age of fourteen. So the Blessed Virgin Mary, having barely parted with her childhood, and brought up from an early age in the temple, had to either return to her parents or get married according to the law. But the vow of eternal virginity given at some time blocked the way for Her to simple family happiness. From now on, her life belonged only to God.

Her mentors, the priests of the temple where she spent her childhood and youth, found a simple and wise solution: the Virgin Mary was betrothed to a distant relative, an 80-year-old elder named Joseph. Thus, the life of the young woman is financially secure, and the vow she gave to the Lord remained unbroken. After the marriage ceremony, Mary settled in the city of Nazareth in the house of her betrothed. It was under this title that Saint Joseph, the guardian of the purity and virginity of the future Mother of God, entered the Holy Scriptures.

Appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin of Nazareth

The Blessed Virgin lived in the new house for four months, devoting all Her time to prayers and reading the Holy Scriptures. It was behind this pious occupation that her messenger of God, the archangel Gabriel, found her. Under the rustle of his wings, he announced to the astonished Virgin about the greatest mission entrusted to her by the Creator of the universe.

This event was called the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. The history of the holiday cannot be complete if you do not pay attention to why the Lord chose Her. The answer is simple - exceptional purity, purity and devotion to God singled her out from a great many other girls. For such a great mission, a righteous woman was needed, equal to whom there has been no equal since the creation of the world.

Willingness to do the will of the Creator

To understand the full significance of the event described in the Gospel, it is important to take into account another side of what happened. In this case, as always, the Lord provides his creation - man with full action. Pay attention to how important the response of the Virgin Mary and Her voluntary consent are to Archangel Gabriel. There is no hint of any coercion here.

The messenger of God speaks of conception, which must take place contrary to human nature, which cannot but cause a skeptical reaction, but the power of Mary's faith is so great that She unconditionally believes everything she hears. The question of how she can conceive, not knowing her husband, comes down only to the desire to know the particulars of the future. Her readiness to fulfill the destined is clear from every line describing the great Biblical event - the Annunciation.

The history of the holiday, briefly about the most important

This event has become the subject of study by many scientists. As is clear from their writings, which are centered on the history of the Annunciation, a simple logical reasoning was used to establish the date of the celebration.

If we consider the moment of the Immaculate Conception to be the day when the Virgin Mary, in response to the words of the archangel Gabriel, answered: “Let it be according to your word,” then it is quite natural that this day should be separated from the day when Jesus Christ was born, that is, from the holiday Christmas, for nine months. It is not difficult to calculate that such a day for Orthodox Christians is March 25, and for Western Christians.

Discoveries of St. Helena Equal to the Apostles

The Feast of the Annunciation, whose history goes back to ancient times, according to historians, began to be celebrated in the 4th century, although images of the scene of this event were discovered during excavations of catacombs dating back to the 3rd and even 2nd centuries. In the 4th century, the most important event in the life of the entire Christian world took place - the Equal-to-the-Apostles Helena discovered the places of the earthly life of Jesus Christ and began the construction of churches in the Holy Land.

Naturally, this caused an increased interest in everything related to Christmas, Sunday and all other events of the Savior's earthly life. It is not surprising that it was during this period that the appearance of the holiday was celebrated. Thus, the history of the feast of the Annunciation has a direct connection with the discoveries of this great ascetic.

Celebration of the Annunciation in Byzantium and in the West

Following in chronological order, it should be noted that the history Orthodox holiday The Annunciation has its origin in Byzantium. In the 7th century, it firmly became one of the most celebrated days church calendar. However, it must be admitted that in the historical documents of the two previous centuries there are separate references to him, but, apparently, we are talking about only isolated cases.

In the Western tradition, the history of the feast of the Annunciation begins at about the same period as in the Eastern Church. Sergius I (687-701) included it among the three main holidays dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was celebrated quite solemnly and was accompanied by a festive procession through the streets of Rome.

Historical names of this holiday and its status

It is curious that this holiday was not always called the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. The history of the holiday remembers other names. For example, in the writings of some ancient authors, it is referred to as the "Day of Greeting" or "Annunciation". The name that is used today comes from the Greek word "evangelismos". For the first time it is found in historical documents of the 7th century.

At that time, the holiday was considered equally both the Lord's and the Theotokos, but time has made its own changes. If in Orthodox tradition In the East, it still remains one of the most important events of the year, but in the West, its role has narrowed somewhat, leaving it only a place of a secondary holiday.

Celebration of the Annunciation in the Orthodox world

In the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church, it is one of the twelfth, great, non-transitory holidays. As during the services of other Mother of God holidays, the clergy on this day are supposed to wear blue vestments. There are a number of circumstances that indicate that the feast of the Annunciation has a very special meaning in the Orthodox Church.

History in particular indicates how much attention was paid to him by the fathers of the Church. At the 6th Ecumenical Council, held in 680 in Constantinople, a document was adopted according to which on the day of this holiday, despite the fact that according to the calendar it falls during Great Lent, the liturgy of John Chrysostom is served, and not the Presanctified gifts, which is pointing out its exceptional importance.

The Annunciation writes about the importance of the holiday in his writings and He calls it the “first holiday” and even the “root of the holidays”. Today, on this day, the weakening of fasting is prescribed. In particular, eating fish and oil (oil) is allowed. Among the people, it is one of the most beloved, carrying peace and joy, because it is based on the good news, that is, the news filled with the Grace of God.

Revival of Orthodox culture in Russia

In our days, when after many decades of state atheism the Orthodox Church has again taken its rightful place, many of our compatriots are filled with the desire to return to the spiritual origins of their people and learn as much as possible from what was closed to them until recently. In particular, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary among them is of great interest. The history of the holiday, traditions and rituals - everything becomes the subject of an inquisitive study.

Another important aspect of modern life is the study of the foundations of Orthodox culture among children. This is important in order not to repeat the tragic mistake of past years, when entire generations in our country grew up and entered into life in isolation from the faith of their ancestors. And in this regard, work is underway today. Many Biblical events and holidays are presented in a child-friendly edition.

Teaching the basics of Orthodox culture to children

This also applies to the feast of the Annunciation. The history of the holiday for children is presented in such a way that, despite the adapted nature of the text, the meaning of the event itself remains unchanged and understandable to the child. This, of course, is the complexity of the task. The history of the feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, briefly but meaningfully stated, should be deposited in the most graceful way in the children's minds.

An invaluable role in the revival of Orthodox culture is played by the Sunday schools organized today at many churches. By the way, their program also includes acquainting students with the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The history of the holiday for children and adults attending these classes is of great interest, as many have heard about it, but have a very vague idea of ​​​​its content.

Folk traditions on the day of the Annunciation

For a long time, the people have established traditions associated with this holiday. Since it falls on the spring month, then, of course, many of them are associated with the beginning of field work. There was a tradition according to which, on the day of the holiday, the grain prepared for sowing was poured into a tub, and, having placed the icon of the Annunciation on top, they recited a special prayer for the granting of a bountiful harvest. In it, the peasants turned to the Most Holy Theotokos and Her Eternal Son with a request to bless the grain "sown in mother earth."

There were also traditions that were clear echoes of paganism. Among them was, for example, such. In the evening on the eve of the holiday, cabbage heads of last year's harvest were taken out of cellars or storerooms. They, secretly from everyone, were laid on the ground near the road along which they were going to go to church the next day. And so the next day, returning after mass, it was necessary to pick up the heads of cabbage, find the seeds in them and plant them in the garden along with fresh seedlings. It was believed that in this case a rich crop of cabbage would be born, which is not afraid of any frost.

The ancient worship of our pagan ancestors to fire and its cleansing power found expression in one of the folk Annunciation traditions. This refers to the custom according to which on this day they burned old clothes, shoes, bedding and the like. Living quarters and outbuildings were fumigated with smoke. Particular attention was paid to livestock, which was also carefully fumigated, hoping thereby to protect it from all evil spirits.

During the period of Great Lent, Orthodox believers are given one day when they can relax a little and gain strength to help endure the test to the end. We are talking about a big holiday for all believers - the Annunciation, which is celebrated on April 7th.

It is the fact that on this day you can diversify the meager fasting food and neglect the abstinence from entertainment, once again proves how important and solemn this holiday is. What kind of event happened many centuries ago, and why modern people continue to honor and celebrate the Annunciation?

Knowledgeable people will say that from the day of the Annunciation, a new round in the history of the Bible begins - the beginning of the New Testament, during which the Lord sent his son with a mission to teach people to love, call to repent and embark on the true path.

History of the Feast of the Annunciation

In principle, everyone who has read the Bible at least once in their life knows the history of the Annunciation. This story is especially familiar to us from children's cartoons and fictional adaptations of the Gospel.

A woman born in ancient Nazareth, whose name was Mary, was given up for education in the Temple of Jerusalem, where, by her behavior and humility, she earned the deep trust of the clergy. At the end of the term of obedience, according to parental instructions, she was betrothed to the same God-fearing youth Joseph, who had the profession of a carpenter. It is worth noting that both were not marked by anything outstanding before the significant day.

Feast of the Annunciation

Having indulged in deep reflections on the role of a woman who was destined to become the Mother of the Savior, she was honored with the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel. Sent by the Lord God himself, he gave her the highest blessing to become the mother of the Messiah. There was no limit to the surprise and embarrassment of the girl, for she was innocent and pure, like a drop of dew. Despite her fear, she completely trusted God and took upon herself the great, almost fantastic fate of the parent of Jesus.

The meaning of the feast of the Annunciation

The great significance of the Annunciation among Christians can be judged at least by the fact that on this day "even a bird does not nest." This is a day of light, quiet and unearthly joy about the return of God's grace to corrupt people.

Also, the Annunciation is a holiday of strong and deep, unshakable faith in a bright future, the victory of humility, wisdom, innocence and purity over the vices of mankind. It is from this day that the world around in the eyes of a believer becomes cleaner, more transparent, filled with light and inaudible music.

On the feast of the Annunciation, it is worth putting aside everything, even the most important things, resting your soul and body, purifying your mind and soul, becoming closer to God, repenting and confessing. Churches mark this event with ringing chimes of bells that make even the most indifferent person start up. Also on April 7, magnificent and solemn services are held, hymns and psalms are sung.

People who for some reason are not able to get into the temple, read the Bible at home and indulge in pious thoughts and reflections.

Traditions and beliefs on the Annunciation

The celebration of this day is different for everyone. There are a great many rituals: from truly pagan to deeply religious. As mentioned above, you should not work on this day or start any business. It is believed that they will be unsuccessful or lead to misfortune.

One of the oldest customs is the release of birds, in particular pigeons. According to legend, they will bring the news of the good deeds you have done to the guardian angels, who will then reward and benefit you.

One of the contradictory acts that (though according to magical laws) should be done is to steal any little thing. Actually, according to the commandments, theft is a sin, but sorcerers advise doing this to attract happiness and good luck.

On the Annunciation it is forbidden to sew, weave or knit anything. This ancient prohibition is connected with the fact that human life is a thread that can only be controlled by guardian angels and the Lord himself. On this day, the probability of confusing the threads of life is extremely high. This can lead to the destruction of the family or the emergence of strife with relatives and friends, throwing fate from one person to another, etc.

Also knowledgeable people On April 7, a special Annunciation salt was prepared. Each of the family members had to take a pinch of salt and pour it into a bag, after which the mistress of the house would roast it on fire and save it for special occasions. According to popular beliefs, it is believed that Annunciation salt is able to heal even the most hopeless patient. If you don’t need it within a year, just burn it in a fire built on the occasion of the next Annunciation holiday. All hardships, ailments, strife and troubles will burn with her. This also applies to the prosphora and holy water brought from the service, which in the Christian world are considered almost a panacea.

Very interesting is the belief that this holiday you can not wear new clothes, that is, new clothes. There is no logical explanation for this. This custom just happens. Also try to be more careful with the fire on this day, cook all the dishes in advance, do not light the stove, bonfires, etc. In the countryside, you can still see people who, on the Annunciation, drive away diseases from livestock and other living creatures with noise, ringing and uproar, scare away forest predators (wolves, foxes, etc.)

If you have the opportunity, then be sure to make a trip to the holy places on the Annunciation. The purpose of the pilgrimage should not be an idle interest, only people with pure thoughts are able to feel all the greatness and value of the relics.

And remember that all these rituals and beliefs are valid only under one important condition - unshakable faith in the Lord God.

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Annunciation: the customs and traditions for this holiday are very different. So it turns out that almost always from year to year the feast of the Annunciation falls on the period of Great Lent. It turns out, as it were, a contradiction: it seems to be a large religious holiday, one of the most important of the year, but, on the other hand, a strict fasting period.

All this concerns the special format of the celebration: a magnificent feast and toasts will have to be abandoned. This also applies to the menu, it should still be lenten, however, it is allowed to eat fish and drink 100 ml of red sweet church wine. Traditions and these features do not apply. So, in this material, we will talk specifically about the traditions and customs of the Annunciation, how they have developed over the centuries and what, in the end, has come down to our days.

About the meaning of the holiday

First of all, when people, in some remote village, talk about the Annunciation, then every grandmother will say the phrase: "Birds do not make nests." As a rule, the weather for this holiday is excellent, but the birds really don’t make nests, people should give up chores, and the girls should try not to weave braids and, in general, in order not to frighten away good luck and prosperity this year, try to bypass the hairdresser on April 7 side.

From a religious point of view, the Annunciation is a strong and profound holiday. This is a celebration of faith in a bright future, in victory over humility, in the wisdom and innocence of nature before the vices of man. They say that on this day the world around becomes cleaner and more beautiful. What a believing person needs to do on the day of the Annunciation on April 7 is to relax the body and soul, cleanse his mind, confess, take communion.

On the day of the Annunciation, magnificent services are held in churches, hymns and psalms are sung. If, for some worldly reasons, a person cannot get to the temple for this holiday, then one should simply indulge in piety and goodness in thoughts, and pray.

About traditions and beliefs

Annunciation: customs and traditions, beliefs are very different. Some of them have been preserved among the people since pagan times, while others are religious. On this day, the church recommends giving up housework, because it can lead to misfortune.

An old Russian tradition is to release birds from their cages on the day of the Annunciation on April 7 to freedom. Most often, pigeons are released. It is believed that the bird will bring the message of freedom to the guardian angel of man, and he will surely reward him within a year.

Contradictory from the point of view of the church is such folk omen that on the feast of the Annunciation you need to decorate some little thing in order to attract prosperity and happiness. From the church point of view, any theft and any day is a sin.

It is forbidden to sew and knit, engage in other needlework on the Annunciation. This custom was formed from the idea that a person's life is a thread of fate. If you do needlework on holidays, then you can confuse the threads of fate and the guardian angel will not be able to find a way to a person. Also, the threads can simply get mixed up, which will eventually lead to the breakup of the family, to the reversal of fate. You can serve on the festive table.

Salt for the Annunciation

Some traditions say that on the day of the Annunciation on April 7, the Orthodox can prepare special salt. Each member of the family takes a pinch of salt, pours it into a frying pan, which is previously ignited on fire. It is believed that this salt can cure diseases and even serious illnesses. Salt should be stored in the red corner in a cloth bag, right behind the icons.

To use the salt at the right time, you will need to burn it at the stake. Although, you can simply cook food for a sick person using such salt. One of the church customs says that on the day of the holiday you need to bring prosphora from the church. It is also kept behind icons and is taken throughout the year to help a sick person, to improve health.

Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- a bright Christian holiday, which the Orthodox Church celebrates on April 7, and in Orthodoxy it is one of the twelve holidays. In ancient times, the feast of the Annunciation was given different names: the conception of Christ, the Annunciation of Christ, the Beginning of Redemption, the Annunciation of the Angel of Mary.

The name of the holiday - the Annunciation - conveys the main meaning of the event associated with it.: the proclamation to the Virgin Mary of the good news of the conception and the birth of the Divine Infant Christ by Her. This holiday belongs to the twelfth non-passing holidays and is celebrated every year on the same April day.

The main icon of the holiday can be considered the masterpiece of Andrei Rublev: an angel descends to the Virgin to announce to her the "Good News". Archangel Gabriel brought the biggest news to the Virgin Mary - the Son of God becomes the Son of man. The prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, the Mother of God responds with consent to the angel's message: "Let it be to me according to your word." Without this voluntary consent, God could not have become a man. He could not be incarnated, since God does not act by force, does not force us to do anything. Man is given complete freedom to respond to God with consent and love. Church Tradition says that at the moment when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, she read the book of the prophet Isaiah, just those words about the birth of the Messiah. “I am ready to become the last servant of the one who will be honored to give birth to the Messiah,” she thought.

Celebration of the Annunciation is not postponed even on the day of Easter, if these holidays coincide, and if this celebration falls on the days of fasting, then fasting is weakened. According to the Church Rule, blessed on this day eating fish and oil. Delight loved ones with a simple, tasty and beautiful dish - with vegetable puree.

Traditions for the Annunciation - April 7

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is a holiday established in memory of the day when the Archangel Gabriel brought the good news to the Virgin Mary about the forthcoming birth of the Son of God. The holiday falls on Great Lent or Bright Week. Therefore, the duration of the celebration is different - from one to three days. If the Annunciation coincides with Easter, then the Orthodox celebrate a double holiday, which is called Kyriopaskha. True, this rarely happens: the last Kiriopaskha was in 1991, and the next one will be only in 2075.

The Russian people were very fond of the Annunciation - the holiday was considered one of the most important of the year.

1. Firstly, fasting was always weakened on the Annunciation, even if it fell on Good Friday. Especially for this day they prepared kulebyaka - a special pie with fish or cabbage.
2. Secondly, on this day they celebrated the third meeting of spring (the first falls on, the second on).

Traditionally on the Annunciation in the peasant huts, the hostesses baked prosphora, that is, unleavened church bread. Prosphora was baked as much as there were households. The bread was carried to the temple, where the priest consecrated them. Then, already at home, they ate on an empty stomach. It was also accepted by the people add crumbs from consecrated prosphora to pet food and seeds. It was believed that thanks to this, the harvest would be rich, and the livestock - prolific and healthy. Of course, this was a relic of pagan beliefs, but at the same time, the custom of sharing church bread with animals was a sign that our ancestors wanted to sanctify their entire life, including everyday life, with the light of Christ's faith.

At the Annunciation, Russian people “called out for spring”. Of course, this ancient tradition was rooted in paganism - at that time of historical development, when people did not yet know Christ and deified nature. But the Annunciation - one of the main Orthodox spring holidays - gave the old customs new life and new meaning. On April 7 (according to the new style), people gathered together to light large bonfires with songs “springs”, or, as they were also called, “calls”. Girls and boys danced around the fire, singing, calling for warmth and flowering - “red spring”. The songs sounded the name of the Virgin and requests for a good harvest. In addition to the Lord and the Mother of God, people turned directly to spring, and also to birds, for example, larks: “ Chuvil - wil - wil, the larks are flying, spring has come to us, chuvil - wil - wil, the larks are flying.

Our ancestors considered it a great sin to take on this day for any, even the smallest deeds about. Moreover, it was believed that even unreasonable creatures honor the great holiday. People said this: “On this day, the girls do not weave braids, the birds do not make nests.” In some localities, they even believed that if a bird slept through the Annunciation Matins and curled a nest on that day, then as a punishment it would not be able to fly for several days.

However, himself holiday was considered bird. On this day, it was customary to redeem the birds from the catchers and release them into the wild. It was said that the bird would intercede before God for the one who freed it. But these days, catching and selling birds has become a cruel business that kills birds. Don't encourage him!

According to popular belief, on the day of the Annunciation, God himself blesses the earth and everything that grows on it. In connection with this, there the tradition of consecrating seeds on the eve of the holiday or on the holiday itself intended for sowing. They had to be sown on time. “He who sows early does not lose seeds,” the people said.

There was a special sign for cabbage. The peasant took the first head of cabbage, plucked from the garden in autumn (it was specially stored for this), carried it to the basement and left it for the night. The next day he was examined; the lucky ones found seeds in such a head that were not afraid of any frost - like the cabbage born from them.

Also, under the Annunciation, they burned their straw beds at night, jumped through the fire and fumigated dresses. All this was done to exterminate diseases and protect themselves from witchcraft.

On the eve of the Annunciation, women burn salt in the oven on this day. This Annunciation salt, renders miracles in different illnesses. Another sign associated with the Annunciation salt - lucky will be the one who guesses on this day to burn a few pinches of salt in the oven

Signs for the Annunciation

If the hostess, on the Annunciation, before noon, takes a broomstick and drives the chickens off the perch, then by the Bright Holiday they will already try to rush in order to prepare fresh eggs for the feast for Christ.

We watched the weather. They said:

• if it rains on the Annunciation, rye will be born, and if there is a thunderstorm, there will be a harvest of nuts and a warm summer;
• frost on the Annunciation - for the harvest of spring crops, the harvest for cucumbers;
• Annunciation without swallows - cold spring;
• on the eve of the Annunciation, peas are sown;
• if there is a red day on the Annunciation - ... this year will be hot and dry;
• if it rains - ... it will be a mushroom year, and fishermen hope for successful fishing;
• on the Annunciation, a sunny day, wheat will be born;
• if there are few stars in the sky, then there will be few eggs.